4 FM quick reads on vinyl1. Sustainable Resilient Flooring

Many types of resilient flooring have sustainable features beyond recycled content. Some floorcoverings, such as linoleum and cork, are made from natural and renewable materials.

Some resilient flooring requires relatively little maintenance. Those that need less maintenance over their lifetime will require less water and other cleaning chemicals, resulting in water conservation and less potentially harmful chemicals being introduced into the water supply.

Resilient flooring also usually has a long lifespan, sometimes even up to 30 years or more. The longer a floor is in service, the fewer resources that are consumed and less waste goes into a landfill. Keeping the existing floor in place as long as possible also avoids the greenhouse gas emissions from the creation and transport of new flooring materials.

2. Finding Coordinating Floorcoverings

In a facility that requires many different types of flooring, look for flooring companies who manufacture more than one product or have a partnership with other manufacturers. This will usually ensure that the different types of floorcoverings will work together aesthetically, creating a coordinated environment in your facility.

For example, hospitals use many types of flooring in close proximity to each other. Vinyl in patient and operating rooms for hygiene, linoleum in hallways for sustainability reasons, and rubber in nurses' stations and stairwells for safety and comfort. Companies that manufacture all three types of flooring, or that have partnerships with other flooring manufacturers, often carry the same color and pattern choices throughout their product lines. That makes it easier for facility executives to choose different floorcoverings that color coordinate and give their facility a pleasing aesthetic.

3. Questions to Consider When Choosing Flooring

There’s a number of important questions that facility executives should ask themselves when deciding on what type of flooring to install in a facility. Four of the most important are:

How will the space be used? The needs of the occupants will dictate what the flooring needs to deliver. Are there special circumstances like hygiene or static considerations?

Is sustainability important? Besides recycled content of a flooring, look at a flooring’s rated service life and longevity. The less you need to replace a floor, the less waste goes to landfills.

How much maintenance should we expect to perform? Some floors require more maintenance than others to keep up a high aesthetic standard. Determine if your facilities team can perform the required maintenance realistically.

What can we afford? Be sure you examine the life-cycle cost of the flooring, not just the first costs, or you may be in for a nasty surprise down the road.

4. Sustainable Features of Resilient Flooring

Many types of resilient flooring have sustainable features beyond recycled content. Some floorcoverings, such as linoleum and cork, are made from natural and renewable materials.

Some resilient floorcoverings require relatively little maintenance. Those that need less maintenance over their lifetime will require less water and other cleaning chemicals, resulting in water conservation and less potentially harmful chemicals being introduced into the water supply.

Resilient floorcoverings also usually have a long lifespan, sometimes even up to 30 years or more. The longer a floor is in service, the fewer resources that are consumed and less waste goes into a landfill. Keeping the existing floor in place as long as possible also avoids the emissions from the create and transport of new flooring materials.